Rufforth
Encyclopedia
Rufforth is a village
and civil parish
in the unitary authority
of the City of York in North Yorkshire
, England
. It lies about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of York
. The village is mentioned in the "Domesday Book
" and dates from Saxon times.
According to the 2001 census
the parish of Rufforth with Knapton had a population of 950 of which 560 live in Rufforth. Prior to 1996 it had been part of the Harrogate
district.
The parish also includes the hamlet
of Knapton, and the Trenchard Road Estate on the edge of Acomb, York.
The first record of a mill at Rufforth goes back to 1671. In 1868 J. Clayton, Esq. is recorded as being the lord of the manor and the chief landowner. According to the census of 1881, the population was 272.
Rufforth was the site of a purpose-built bomber
airfield
built to Class A specification. It was constructed during 1941 and opened on 10 June 1942 for use by Operational Training Units and later a Heavy Conversion Unit flying Halifaxes
. The site remained in RAF hands until they finally departed in 1974. In July 1981 the site was sold and is now the site of the York Gliding Centre and a microlight flying club.
. As of the 2011 elections it is represented by Councillors Ian Gillies, Paul Healey and Chris Steward who are all members of the local Conservative Party. It is also a part of the UK Parliamentary Constituency of York Outer
as well as the EU region of Yorkshire and the Humber
Rufforth is also the major part of the Rufforth with Knapton Parish Council and supplies five out of the eight councillors.
Rufforth was a traditional farming community with seven farms during the 1970s, but because of agricultural decline there is now only one left. The village is a dormitory for commuters in the nearby cities, with only a few local jobs. The village has one public house, The Tankard. The village post office and shop recently closed.
buses run through the village as part of the York to Ripon route.
are resident in these woods and both owl
s and meadow birds can be found in the surrounding area. There is a small village green near the village shop. There are some 50 allotments run by the Parish Council. Sand Dyke Nature Reserve lies to the North West of the village
.
For secondary education, the village is in the catchment area of York High School on Cornlands Road in nearby Acomb.
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/PhotoFrames/ARY/RufforthMethodist1843.html was also built in 1843 and was restored in 1884.
Division Three. Rufforth Cricket Club also play their home fixtures at the sports ground near the airfield. As of 2010 the 1st XI play in the Wetherby Cricket League Division Three and the 2nd XI, or 'A' side play in Division Five.
A little way out of the village is Rufforth Hall built in 1860 and was used by a local York insurance company as a sports venue for its employees.
The old village pump and trough are listed items.
The British actor Mark Addy
has a house in the village.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of the City of York in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. The village is mentioned in the "Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
" and dates from Saxon times.
According to the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
the parish of Rufforth with Knapton had a population of 950 of which 560 live in Rufforth. Prior to 1996 it had been part of the Harrogate
Harrogate (borough)
Harrogate is a local government district and borough of North Yorkshire, England. Its council is based in the town of Harrogate but it also includes surrounding towns and villages...
district.
The parish also includes the hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Knapton, and the Trenchard Road Estate on the edge of Acomb, York.
History
Rufforth was the site of a purpose-built bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
airfield
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
built to Class A specification. It was constructed during 1941 and opened on 10 June 1942 for use by Operational Training Units and later a Heavy Conversion Unit flying Halifaxes
Handley Page Halifax
The Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing...
. The site remained in RAF hands until they finally departed in 1974. In July 1981 the site was sold and is now the site of the York Gliding Centre and a microlight flying club.
Governance
Rufforth lies within the Rural West Ward of the City of York Unitary AuthorityUnitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
. As of the 2011 elections it is represented by Councillors Ian Gillies, Paul Healey and Chris Steward who are all members of the local Conservative Party. It is also a part of the UK Parliamentary Constituency of York Outer
York Outer
York Outer is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
as well as the EU region of Yorkshire and the Humber
Yorkshire and the Humber
Yorkshire and the Humber is one of the nine regions of England and formally one of the government office regions. It covers most of the historic county of Yorkshire, along with the part of northern Lincolnshire that was, from 1974 to 1996, within the former shire county of Humberside. The...
Rufforth is also the major part of the Rufforth with Knapton Parish Council and supplies five out of the eight councillors.
Economy
Transport
Harrogate Coach TravelHarrogate Coach Travel
-History:The company was established in 2002 by Craig and Julie Temple, the directors of the company, as Harrogate Coach Travel. The company is based in Green Hammerton, which has a York postcode even if it is under the Harrogate district...
buses run through the village as part of the York to Ripon route.
Geography
The soil is principally clay with a sandy ridge, on which the village was built, and a high water table. Around the end of the nineteenth century, most of the land was pasture with grazing cattle. Produce was mainly barley, oats and turnips. A variety of plants, especially within several wooded areas near the village, can be found. DeerDeer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
are resident in these woods and both owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
s and meadow birds can be found in the surrounding area. There is a small village green near the village shop. There are some 50 allotments run by the Parish Council. Sand Dyke Nature Reserve lies to the North West of the village
Education
A non-denominational school was built in about 1870 for 60 pupils. This is now Rufforth Primary School. Pre-school facilities are provided in the village hallVillage hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
.
For secondary education, the village is in the catchment area of York High School on Cornlands Road in nearby Acomb.
Religion
All Saints Church has been the parish church since the 12th Century and has been rebuilt and restored several times. A Wesleyan chapelChapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/PhotoFrames/ARY/RufforthMethodist1843.html was also built in 1843 and was restored in 1884.
Sports
To the South East of the village are playing fields with a pavilion. This is the home ground of Rufforth United whose 1st XI, as of 2010, play in the York Football LeagueYork Football League
The York Football League is a football competition based in North Yorkshire, England, founded in 1897. Currently it is known under the terms of a sponsorship agreement as the York Minster Engineering Football League.-History:...
Division Three. Rufforth Cricket Club also play their home fixtures at the sports ground near the airfield. As of 2010 the 1st XI play in the Wetherby Cricket League Division Three and the 2nd XI, or 'A' side play in Division Five.
Notable landmarks and residents
On Rufforth Airlfield the old control tower still stands and was used in the TV drama series Airline during the 1980s.A little way out of the village is Rufforth Hall built in 1860 and was used by a local York insurance company as a sports venue for its employees.
The old village pump and trough are listed items.
The British actor Mark Addy
Mark Addy
Mark Addy Johnson is an English actor, best known for his roles as Detective Constable Gary Boyle in the UK sitcom The Thin Blue Line, Dave in the British film The Full Monty, father Bill Miller in the U.S...
has a house in the village.